Ontario Must Change Laws to Protect Vulnerable Road Users Now

On October 21, 2017 around noon, I was hit by a pickup truck while cycling north of Barrie, in Ontario. My spine was fractured and had to have two surgeries to fuse my C5-7 vertebrae together. It was a sunny and warm Saturday afternoon. Five months later, after several weeks in a hospital and nearly 100 medical appointments, I am slowly getting better, but life will never be the same.

The driver of the pickup truck that hit me was charged at the scene with making an illegal lefthand turn, improper brake function, and a hidden license plate. Today I learned that the crown made a private deal with the driver, without ever contacting me. The driver pled guilty to hiding his plate and received a $125 fine, but all other charges were withdrawn and there is no chance for me to appeal. The driver will walk away from nearly killing me, with a minor traffic ticket - I was never even asked a single question by the crown.

Every year hundreds of vulnerable road users, such as mothers walking on sidewalks and children riding bicycles, are hit by motor vehicles. People are routinely being killed or seriously injured and there are often no consequences. The laws need to change. Last fall, Bill 158 - Protecting Vulnerable Road Users Act was introduced but failed to pass. Thankfully, it will be reintroduced another MPP, Catherine Fife, from Kitchener-Waterloo. Please support this non-partisan petition to encourage all MPPs to pass this important bill. We must act now to protect vulnerable road users.